Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Outsourced Fulfilment Partner
Choosing the right outsourced fulfilment partner to take control of all your fulfilment needs is important and can’t go ignored.
Key Takeaways
This booming market makes perfect sense – pet ownership has reached new heights with 62% of UK households having a furry friend. The pandemic pushed these numbers even higher when people turned to pets for comfort during lockdowns.
The growth brings its own set of challenges that businesses need to tackle head-on. Recent data shows that 75% of pet owners now see their pets as family members. This creates sky-high expectations for product quality and delivery speed. Businesses also don’t deal well with product variety, items that can spoil, complex regulations, and customers who want more options.
We’ll help your business succeed with useful strategies that cover everything from managing inventory to picking the right fulfillment partner – all tailored to the pet industry’s unique demands.
Pet care businesses in 2025 just need to tackle one major challenge – managing their inventory well. Your customers won’t be happy if they can’t find what they need for their furry family members. This hurts both customer satisfaction and your profits. Let’s take a closer look at this challenge and find some practical solutions.
What inventory inaccuracy is
Your system might show one number while the actual items on your shelves tell a different story – that’s inventory inaccuracy. Pet care businesses see this as “shrinkage” – losing inventory between buying and selling it.
Several things cause this problem:
The retail sector loses about 1.62% of total sales through theft, damage, and paperwork errors. This small number can affect profits a lot, especially if your business runs on thin margins.
Bad inventory management creates problems throughout your pet care business. Money takes the first hit. Inventory costs come second only to staff wages. Poor management can quickly make inventory your biggest expense, which limits growth and eats into profits.
Managing inventory costs includes:
When all of this is poorly managed, it leads to two big problems:
You’ll need good technology, solid processes, and trained people to fix inventory problems. Here are the best ways to do this in 2025:
Use modern inventory management systems: Good inventory tracking starts with the right system. Modern systems show you what’s available across all locations in real time. Pick one that works with your main business software to track items properly and catch all charges.
Set up good ordering rules
Here’s how to know when to order:
Count regularly: Even with good systems, you need to count what’s actually there. Do big counts every three months to catch problems and track what you use. This makes year-end easier and helps everything run better.
Get barcode scanners and RFID tech: Barcode scanners are affordable in 2025 and make receiving and shipping much more accurate. These tools help reduce mistakes, especially if you handle lots of different pet products.
Train your team well: Everyone should know how the inventory system works and tell someone when stocks are low or items expire. Good training means fewer mistakes and better accuracy.
Use First In, First Out (FIFO): This really helps with pet food and other items that can go bad. FIFO keeps expired products away from customers and reduces waste.
Think about automated cabinets for expensive items: Systems like Cubex can work with your main system to track exactly what goes out, which helps catch missed charges. Many businesses say these systems help them track charges better, improve how they give out items, and spend less time managing inventory.
Use information to predict what you’ll need: Modern forecasting tools help you guess future needs accurately, so you can keep just the right amount of stock.
These strategies will help pet care businesses reduce inventory mistakes, avoid running out of stock, and keep the right products on hand to serve customers well in 2025.
Pet care supply chain faces tough challenges in 2025. Shipping delays and last-mile delivery problems create headaches for businesses. Customer demands keep rising while profit margins shrink. Businesses must master their delivery process to stay competitive.
What shipping delays mean for pet care
Shipping delays create a domino effect throughout the pet care industry. These delays hit both businesses and pet owners hard. Pet retailers see their customer satisfaction drop and their profits suffer. Supply chain disruptions rank as a top worry for pet industry businesses, which shows how crucial timely deliveries are.
Pet care businesses face higher stakes because their products are essential. Late shipments of specialty pet food, medications, or supplies can harm pet health and wellbeing. This makes shipping delays more urgent in pet care than other retail sectors.
The pandemic made these problems worse by exposing weak points in pet supply chains. Product shortages popped up as manufacturers struggled with ingredients and transportation2. Pet owners don’t hesitate to switch stores – about 20% of consumers have changed or would change retailers if deliveries don’t meet their expectations.
The final stretch of delivery – from distribution center to customer doorstep – costs the most and brings the biggest headaches. Pet care fulfillment faces several unique challenges:
How to fix shipping delays in pet fulfillment
Pet care businesses can tackle these fulfillment challenges with smart strategies that work for both customers and operations. Here are the best solutions for 2025:
Companies that solve these shipping and delivery problems gain an edge over competitors.
“A well-handled return is often the difference between a one-time buyer and a loyal customer. We help brands turn post-purchase problems into positive experiences.”
— Steve Mills, Bray Solutions
Pet care businesses face a major challenge with returns. U.S. consumers returned about £604.36 billion in merchandise in 2021 alone.
Return management, also known as reverse logistics, covers the complete process of handling products that customers send back. The process includes checking returned items, looking for damage, processing refunds or exchanges, and deciding whether to restock or dispose of products.
Pet businesses need to handle several key parts of returns:
Why returns are critical in pet care
Pet care returns need special attention. Many pet products require specific handling when returned. Products like prescription medications, perishable foods, or custom items need careful inspection protocols.
In spite of that, customer loyalty remains the biggest reason to focus on returns. Research shows 95% of customers will buy again after a good return experience. The flip side shows 87% of customers won’t come back after a difficult exchange or return.
Returns create both problems and possibilities. They might mean lost sales, but they also give you a chance to show customers how much you care.
How to streamline returns and exchanges
Your pet care business can handle returns better by using these proven methods:
1. Create a clear, available return policy: Make your policy simple to understand and easy to find online. List key details about return timeframes, product condition requirements, refund options, and processing times. Put a printed copy of your return policy in each package.
2. Extend return windows strategically: Longer return periods often lead to fewer returns, which might seem surprising. When customers don’t feel rushed, they tend to keep items they might have returned.
3. Automate the returns process: Use returns management software to handle requests, create authorisation forms, and give updates. Automation reduces work and mistakes.
4. Incentivise exchanges over refunds: Cover exchange shipping costs to encourage product swaps instead of refunds. This helps keep revenue while making customers happy.
5. Analyse return data regularly Track why products come back. This information helps spot quality issues, make product descriptions better, and reduce future returns.
These strategies can help your pet care business turn returns from a costly problem into a way to build stronger customer relationships and improve operations.
Pet care fulfillment faces its biggest regulatory challenges in 2025. Companies need strategic planning and dedicated resources to stay compliant as rules keep changing across regions.
What regulations apply to pet products
Pet care companies must deal with different regulations based on location and product type. UK pet food labels must follow EU rules for animal feed. These labels need to show:
Other pet items must follow standard consumer safety rules. The EU’s General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) covers everything from pet clothes to bowls, cages, and blankets.
Why compliance is essential
Following regulations affects how businesses run and what customers think. Good labeling protects consumers. State feed programs help the FDA check pet food labels to prove marketing claims are true.
Pet health and safety depend on compliance. Many pet owners buy specific foods based on their pets’ diet needs or allergies. Clear labels help owners know exactly what their pets eat and avoid health risks.
Your market position also depends on compliance. The UK changed several pet food laws over the last several years to make products safer and more nutritious. Companies that welcome these changes get ahead because customers trust them more.
How to stay compliant in 2025
Here’s how to handle these pet care regulatory challenges:
Pet care businesses that take compliance seriously avoid legal trouble and build better customer relationships through honesty and trust.
Pet care businesses face a significant challenge with order tracking transparency. Pet owners just need to know when their pet’s essentials will arrive. Poor tracking can hurt customer relationships and damage brand reputation.
What real-time tracking means
Real-time tracking lets you monitor products throughout the fulfillment process. Pet retailers can track product locations from warehouse to doorstep with this technology that gives continuous delivery updates. Unlike traditional checkpoint updates, real-time systems show exactly where orders are at any moment.
Why visibility matters to pet owners
Pet owners don’t just find real-time visibility convenient, they expect it. Clear tracking builds trust. Customers who can monitor their pet food or medication deliveries trust your service more.
Real-time tracking has changed how customers behave. Modern consumers just need to see their orders from processing to delivery. This visibility affects satisfaction because pet owners can plan better when they know supply arrival times.
Retailers get operational benefits beyond happy customers through better visibility. A detailed supply chain view helps businesses make use of information to improve workflows. On top of that, it reduces costs when customers track orders themselves instead of calling customer service.
Your pet business’s success depends on choosing the right fulfillment partner. This decision will affect every part of your operations. The stakes are high with pet ownership in UK households reaching nearly 62%.
What makes a fulfillment partner wrong
A fulfillment partner fails without specific experience in the industry. They might mishandle sensitive supplements or store bulky items like dog beds incorrectly if they lack specialised knowledge. Partners who use manual processes instead of automated systems often make mistakes with orders and inventory management.
Sales of pet products spike during holidays. Your partner should scale operations quickly to meet these demands. Poor customer service response times point to deeper problems that will hurt your customer relationships.
Why the right partner matters
“Fulfillment isn’t one-size-fits-all. Pet care brands need partners who understand the sector’s nuances—especially when handling regulated, fragile, or time-sensitive products.”
— Steve Mills, Bray Solutions
Good fulfillment partners boost customer satisfaction and make operations run smoothly. Pet owners trust you to deliver their animal’s products quickly and in perfect condition. This trust extends to your fulfillment operations.
Pet products need special handling methods. Brands that sell organic pet foods need partners with certified organic fulfillment facilities. These facilities prevent cross-contamination and keep products safe.
The financial stakes are high. Bad partners increase shipping costs and return rates. They might even damage inventory through poor storage practices.
How to choose the right fulfillment partner
Look at these key criteria while evaluating potential partners:
Clear pricing structures help avoid hidden fees that cut into profits. Ask for references from other pet brands to verify their industry experience and service quality.
Comparison Table
| Challenge | Effects | Key Challenges | Solutions/Fixes |
| Inventory Inaccuracy and Stockouts | Financial health and customer satisfaction | Administrative errors, theft, expired items, misplaced items | Modern inventory systems, scheduled audits, barcode scanning, FIFO systems |
| Shipping Delays and Last-Mile Delivery | Customer satisfaction and pet health | Economic pressure, customer expectations, profit concerns | Distributed inventory systems, alternative delivery options, live tracking |
| Handling Perishable and Fragile Products | Product quality and safety | Limited storage space, damage risk | Specialised cold chain management, protective packaging, ongoing monitoring |
| Managing Returns and Exchanges | Operating costs and customer loyalty | Processing costs, inspection needs, inventory reintegration | Clear return policy, automated returns process, flexible return windows |
| Regulatory Compliance and Labeling | Legal compliance and consumer trust | Different regulations, labeling needs, safety standards | Compliance training, quality control systems, regular audits |
| Lack of Live Order Tracking | Customer experience and efficiency | Visibility gaps, customer service workload | GPS integration, accessible visualisation, geofence capabilities |
| Choosing the Wrong Fulfillment Partner | Overall business operations | Limited industry expertise, rigid systems, poor technology integration | Partners with industry expertise, verified scalability, strategic locations |
The pet care fulfillment challenges will keep reshaping the scene as we head into 2025. Pet parents want perfect products for their furry family members. This makes operational excellence crucial for businesses to survive and thrive.
Your fulfillment partner choice will determine how well you handle these challenges. Partners who know the pet industry understand what animal products need and can adjust to market changes quickly.
Bray Solutions understands the unique demands of the pet care industry. With high-quality storage, real-time tracking, and scalable logistics, we help you deliver the care your customers expect; on time, every time.
Let’s turn your pet brand’s fulfillment into a competitive advantage.
“Our clients choose Bray Solutions because we bring clarity, control, and care to every order—whether it’s a dog treat or a bulk order of cat toys.” — Dale Sharpe, Bray Solutions
Talk to our team today to explore how Bray Solutions can streamline your operations and support your growth in 2025 and beyond.
Q1. What are the biggest challenges facing the pet care industry in 2025?
The pet care industry faces several key challenges, including inventory management, shipping delays, handling perishable products, managing returns efficiently, and staying compliant with evolving regulations. Businesses must also adapt to changing consumer preferences and increasing competition.
Q2. How can pet care businesses improve their order fulfillment process?
Pet care businesses can improve fulfillment by implementing modern inventory systems, utilising real-time tracking technology, optimising last-mile delivery, and choosing the right fulfillment partner with industry expertise. Streamlining returns processes and ensuring regulatory compliance are also crucial.
Q3. Why is proper handling of perishable pet products so important?
Proper handling of perishable pet products is critical for maintaining quality, safety, and customer satisfaction. These items often require temperature control and special packaging to prevent spoilage or damage during transit. Mishandling can lead to health risks for pets and damage to the business’s reputation.
Q4. What should pet owners expect from retailers in terms of order tracking and delivery?
Pet owners increasingly expect real-time visibility into their orders, from processing to delivery. Retailers should provide accurate tracking information, timely updates, and reliable delivery timeframes. This transparency builds trust and allows pet owners to plan for the arrival of essential supplies.
Q5. How is technology changing pet care fulfillment?
Technology is revolutionising pet care fulfillment through automated inventory management systems, GPS-enabled real-time tracking, and advanced forecasting tools. These innovations help businesses maintain accurate stock levels, provide transparency to customers, and optimise delivery routes, ultimately improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
We integrate with a number of different systems.
Get in touch to find out how we can help.
